Ravens LB C.J. Mosley's last missed games a concerning trend for the defense now

Baltimore Ravens linebacker C.J. Mosley might have helped confirm his worth in Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals by what he didn’t do on the field. Injured in the first quarter, Baltimore struggled to fill Mosley’s void on defense and ultimately allowed the Bengals to run all over them as well as target the middle of the field on throws.

It was a concerning look at what the defense could be without Mosley in the lineup. Coach John Harbaugh confirmed Mosley has a bone bruise but no structural damage. However, there is no concrete timeline for Mosley’s return to the lineup. If Baltimore didn’t already know how important Mosley is for the defense, all they have to do is look back to the few instances their star linebacker was sidelined.

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Mosley has only missed two games in his four-year career, both in 2016. It should be obvious given the title of the article, but both were losses in Weeks 6 and 7. Relatively close affairs against the New York Giants and New York Jets, the games were lost by four and eight points respectively.

Against the Jets, it was the run defense that failed primarily, allowing 155 yards and a touchdown on 39 attempt, including a 30-yard run by Robby Anderson. But both would see gashes in the passing game where Mosley was missing, something they once again saw in Week 2.

The Giants completed all five of their passes under 10 yards to wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., for 92 yards and a touchdown, with 73 of those yards coming after contact. That included a 66-yard completion and run that came directly in the center of the field. The Giants also found success throwing to their running backs, completing eight passes for 52 yards. It would be a similar issue against the Jets as they allowed seven receptions for 95 yards to running backs, including 63 yards after contact.

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While there’s no telling if any of those plays would have gone the same way with Mosley in the lineup, those are the types of plays he typically stops dead. Though Mosley can be a liability in coverage, allowing 136 yards after contact in the middle of the field is not something we’d likely have seen had he been in the lineup. When games come down to a one-score margin of victory, something as simple as wrapping up tackles can mean the difference in winning or losing. For the Ravens, that meant two losses and ultimately not making the postseason.

The Ravens will turn to a combination of Patrick Onwuasor, Kenny Young and recently re-signed Albert McClellan at linebacker. The hope is the combination can work itself out to fill Mosley’s role while he’s out. Baltimore fans are praying it ends better than the last time Mosley was out of the lineup.

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